Local Sports

NMU men’s soccer takes over top of GLIAC

MARQUETTE -- Senior goalkeeper Asaf Kristal posted his second straight shutout as the men's soccer team at Northern Michigan University moved into first place alone in the conference with a 2-0 home victory over Purdue Northwest on Friday afternoon.

NMU now has 11 points by virtue of its 3-0-2 record in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, one point ahead of the Lions, who had held that same lofty position entering the game.

The Wildcats are also 6-2-2 overall, while Purdue NW is 3-2-1 in the league and the same 6-2-2 as Northern overall.

NMU is the only remaining league team without a loss in the GLIAC as third-place Saginaw Valley State and Roosevelt each have 2-1-2 conference marks.

While NMU didn't get a goal from the nation's leading goal scorer, senior Luca Rosen, he did assist on the second goal that came about six minutes into the second half.

And Kristal made it stand up by stopping all three shots on goal he faced.

Northern was outshot 14-9 in all shots taken, but held just as decisive a 6-3 advantage in shots on goal. And NMU took nine of the game's 13 corner kicks.

Rosen took four of Northern's shots, getting two on goal, while Marcos Gallardo Rozano had two shots and one on goal.

"Yeah, a big home win," Wildcats head coach Alex Fatovic said in an NMU Sports Information news release detailing the game. "That's exactly what you want; you're back home, 2-0 win, character against a solid team.

"It took some time to break them down, but we got our goals early in the second half, and just managed the rest of the game really, really well. Individual performances across the board were fantastic." 

In addition to the goalkeeping by Kristal, Fatovic said the defense was the reason for the team's success.

"(The defense) has really started to come together and we're really pleased with how they're doing," he said.

Neither team scored in the first half, but the Wildcats wasted little time -- how about 31 seconds? -- changing that once the teams regained the field after intermission.

That's when sophomore Sam Pilgrim sent a shot low and into the right side of the net past Lions netminder Estafano Alvear. Northern's Noah Girard and Sergio Cano Castro were credited with assists.

Then not quite 5 1/2 minutes later, Rosen set up Gallardo Rozano with the insurance goal, the latter knocking it in low and to the left side of the net.

"I think it was a really good day for us," Kristal said in the NMU SI release. "A lot of positives across the board. This year we're on a mission. We're trying to do something big, and we're trying to win each game as they come.

"So I think it was a great performance from everybody. Great energy from the bench as well."

It marked Kristal’s 10th shutout, surpassing Alex Weaver from 2020-22 for the most career shutouts in program history. He joins Rosen in the record books, who recently surpassed the Northern record for most career goals.

"It feels amazing," Kristal said. "This week, Coach Alex talked with us about the history of NMU, and to be able to write a little line in this amazing history of this place, it's a big honor for me, and I'm sure it is for Luca as well."

The Wildcats remained at home to face Wisconsin-Parkside on Sunday afternoon, then hit the road this week for an unusually quick rematch at Parkside's home field in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Friday afternoon, followed by a not-much-longer awaited return match against Purdue NW in Hammond, Indiana, on Sunday afternoon.

Story contents based on a

Northern Michigan University Sports Information press release reviewing the game. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee's email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.